This invention relates generally to fluid dispensers, and, more specifically, to improvements in fluid dispensers of the type used with bulk fluid containers such as bag-in-box containers.
Bag-in-box containers are becoming widely used for storage and shipment of various fluids, particularly food liquids, such as wine and milk, and industrial liquids, such as detergents and various chemicals. Such liquids are normally packed and sealed in a plastic bag. For some liquids, such as food items, it is important that air and other gases be excluded. The filled bag is placed within a strong outer container such as a corrugated box. This structure facilitates storage, shipment and use. A dispensing spout is attached to the filled bag near its bottom and extends outward through the container for access by the user.
Such dispensers come in many different types. Some are made to surround a prepunched opening in the bag, while others are used with a completely sealed plastic bag and an opening is punched through a bag wall by the user when the dispenser is first operated. All such dispensers include a valve that is biased closed. Some dispensers are adapted for the valve to be opened by hand manipulation to transmit fluid from the bag container, and others are adapted to receive a socket that, when fitted onto the bag spout, opens its valve and allows fluid to pass into a hose for transmission to a point of use removed from the container. An example of the last-mentioned type of dispenser is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,744 to Rutter et al. (1987).
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide improvements in the last-mentioned type of dispenser.